Disclaimer: Refer to chapter 1.
AN: Full Chapter Title: Is This The Meeting That Preludes Glory?
Also, 3 out of 4.
Those on the streets of Konoha were witness to Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha walking the streets with a ring of Praetorians around the two.
"Legate, how far has the word spread?" Training had lasted well into the afternoon before the two had decided to stop. Now the Legate and Praetor walked back to the Orange Legion's main camp while the First Cohort remained encamped within Konoha: the conquered Uchiha District.
"The last time I checked, all centurions had passed the words on to their men. The entire Legion has been informed of what happened in Nami no Kuni." Sasuke's Sharingan locked with blue eyes as he offered the Uzumaki a smirk. "Trust me Praetor, I was very thorough."
"I have no doubt." Naruto let out a brief chuckle as the wall of shields blocking the road into the Uchiha District was wordlessly disassembled before the two highest ranking members of the Orange Legion. It was just as swiftly reassembled as they passed by line after line, a full century in total. "I see the First Cohort has been busy as always in our absence."
"Indeed they have." Sasuke and Naruto both came to a stop to look at the repurposed Uchiha district.
It was no longer a desolate place inhabited by nearly no one but was now dominated by the ranks of the Legion. Construction had long been under way to raise barracks, forges, communication hubs, armories and more by the soldiers of Naruto's First Cohort. The district itself had been refurbished heavily, the flags of the Legion and the First Cohort hanging across the district. Security had been increased with the addition of several more centuries as currently the district played host to a meeting between the heads of each Cohort of the Orange Legion. They awaited Praetor near the center of the district, the building they were meeting in surrounded by a ring of Praetorians. The rooftops of the entire district were covered by the sharp eyes of the men of the Orange Legion and a multitude of surveillance equipment. It all wired back to multiple surveillance centers across the district and even to a hidden camp manned by a small force of Praetorians.
"Gato's funds have been swiftly put to use." The Legate's comments only gained a chuckle from the ruler of the Orange Legion as he stepped past twin columns of saluting soldiers.
"My Orange Legion has scarcely begun to use that filth's requisitioned assets." Naruto's eyes seemed to glow with a rabid anticipation of what the future held. "Soon I shall command both the land and the sea with my great Orange Legion."
"The day such a thing happens shall be eagerly awaited by the entirety of your magnificent Legion." Sasuke stepped after him, his eyes focused on the growing higher and higher tower every day in the center of the district. It constantly held the flag of the Orange Legion aloft even among the uncompleted framework and high above even it rested the flag of the Uzumaki Empire. "Your enemies shall learn to fear another domain ruled by the might of your Uzumaki Empire on that day as well."
"They shall learn many things about fear Legate, many things that shall drive them to beg for my mercy, for my rule." Naruto stepped into the open doors of the tower and Sasuke followed after him without hesitation. Only darkness greeted them once ten Praetorians drew the doors close with their combined strength split across the two. "Now, let us see if this meeting can begin."
A long and dark sloping tunnel was walked through within minutes by the two, Praetorians of the Legion saluting Naruto at regularly spaced intervals. At the end four Praetorians stood at attention with their shields held up and their blades clenched in their hands.
"Praetor." All four spoke as one and they swung inward without another word spoken. Naruto stepped past them and at last entered the underground meeting room the First Cohort of his Legion had been busy with excavating since he had laid claim to the land above them.
"It is a great thing to see you all before me." Naruto took his seat at the head of the mostly occupied table while the five seats on either side of the table were, save for one, already occupied by the centurions that headed the Cohorts of his Legion. Behind him at his immediate right stood the Praefectus Castrorum of his Praetorians and at the opposite end of the table the Legate sat under the hanging banner of his personal force, the uchiwa of the Uchiha wrapped by the red swirl of the Uzumaki. Changes had of course been made to it once the march back to Nami no Kuni had begun on Naruto's order which only lead to the inclusion of a ring of flames set around the two clan symbols.
Four of his Cohorts had been bloodied so four personalized banners hung above their heads. The Centurion of the First Cohort, to his left, sat with the Hounds of Silver Fang hanging above him. Next to him, the Centurion of the Second Cohort sat with his standard, the Uzumaki swirl holding a bloodied blade pointing downward and two others crossed behind it, equally as bloodied. The Centurion of the Third Cohort, sitting next to the Second, sat beneath his official standard, the Uzumaki swirl holding within it a wave and against it stood the shields of the Third Cohort. The Centurion of the Fourth Cohort, sitting next to the Third, sat beneath the banner of the Uzumaki swirl holding the silhouette of distant ruins with the men of the Fourth standing before it. The six other centurions sat with only the blank standard, a deep orange with the swirl of the Uzumaki Empire with the number of the Cohort they commanded underneath it. V for the Fifth, VI for the Sixth, VII for the Seventh, VIII for the Eight, IX for the Ninth, and X for the Tenth. Between each standard of the bloodied Cohorts and of those not yet given such an opportunity, the banner of the Uzumaki Empire hung from the walls. The Uzumaki swirl placed on a white background, simplicity winning out over his desire to make it a grand thing. One change had come across it since his return as the kanji for 'Waves' rested directly above the swirl in jet black with its place not unlike the place of the number 12 on a clock.
Naruto's arms swept out and his grin was wide as he rose, his blue eyes shined with something that few present could identify. Not even the centurions before him had a chance before it was gone. Only the wielder of the Sharingan had caught a glimpse of it and filed it away to ponder on after the meeting was finished.
"Let us speak of what has come to pass and what has yet to do the same, let this room be the sole witness to the certainty of our future glory, and let us all remember this day for countless days and countless nights." He let his arms fall and his grin widened. "Let us set in motion the grand plans of my Legion and let us build upon my glorious Empire with them."
"Glory shall be yours Praetor." Each centurion bowed his head and crossed his armored fist over his heart as one. "None shall stand before the might of your Legion."
"Death awaits all your enemies and glory awaits all those you deem worthy." Sasuke followed the example of the centurions.
"Then let us begin and bring those words into reality." Naruto clasped his hands in front of him and looked over the gathered leaders of his army. "Who wishes to speak of their triumphs first?"
"I shall Praetor." The centurion in charge of the entire expedition of the Second and Fourth Cohorts rose from his seat and saluted Naruto, his fist over his armored heart. "I am Centurion Uzumaki, commander of the Fourth Cohort of the Orange Legion of the Uzumaki Empire reporting in and I have many things to share with you, the Legate, and my fellow centurions." A grin stretched over his lips, one identical to the one Naruto wore when he was nothing but pleased with events. On the table, a box was set before Naruto and his grin seemed to widen. "Within this box lies the artifact."
The room became dead silent. It seemed all those present barely cared to breathe with what was set before them.
"Are you sure of it?" Naruto's voice carried with it nothing as his blue eyes stayed locked on the box in front of him. "Are you certain this is the artifact you were commanded to retrieve?"
"I have staked my life on my certainties the moment I presented it to you, Praetor." The centurion bowed his head and Naruto didn't spend any moment longer in anticipation. He drew the knife that rested at the small of his back, the same as the knife of all those that sat in the room, and removed the bindings. The box was opened and his eyes beheld the contents inside.
"This shall do." He leaned back against his chair as the Uchiha turned away, rubbing at his eyes before they turned back to black.
"The power of the artifact your pursued is quite extraordinary, Praetor." Sasuke continued to rub at his eyes as they only continued to burn after observing the great power of the artifact. "The sheer amount of Chakra pouring out of it is truly incredible. The mightiest of the Tailed Beasts could hardly stand without fear before a wielder of such formidable strength."
"I was counting on such a thing." Naruto resealed the box and nodded to the Centurion of the Second Cohort. "You have done very well to bring the artifact to me undamaged. Its power will serve not only my Legion well but my grand Uzumaki Empire as well." He pushed the box to the side and his eyes once again roamed over those presents. "Who else wishes to speak of their triumphs?"
"I shall Praetor." The Centurion of the Third Cohort rose with his fist over his heart. He unrolled a scroll in his hands and set it on the table and seals spread across it were suddenly aglow with Chakra. In front of each of the leaders of the Orange Legion appeared the contents of said scroll. "I am Centurion Uzumaki, commander of the Third Cohort of the Orange Legion of the Uzumaki Empire and I bring word of the situation in your newest lands to you, the Legate, and my fellow centurions."
"None of this looks bad." The Centurion of the First Cohort spoke as his eyes moved over the information presented to him. "It seems that glory has brought with it a great prosperity."
"The lands of my Uzumaki Empire will not be given the title of squalor." Naruto's voice carried across the room before nearly chilling blue eyes turned to the standing centurion. "What information is not present in this scroll, centurion?"
"Zabuza Momichi proves himself very capable Praetor." A seal was covered by the palm of the centurion's hand. "He continues his assignment and Nami no Kuni is without setback to your plans with Kaiza as Vicarius. The people of your new lands hold no ill will to the man and he had proven capable of increasing many of our more laborious efforts to greater and greater heights." The image before their eyes shifted as Sasuke's Sharingan reappeared in the space of a blink with the artifact no longer causing issues with its uncontained power. "Soon a grand fleet shall be ready for your use Praetor and the soldiers of the Third Cohort shall be ready and able sailors ready to sail wherever you command."
"This is good news." Naruto looked towards the Legate of his Orange Legion at the end of the table. "What do you think of the idea of such a grand fleet, Legate?"
"Only the glory of your great Legion and Empire matters Praetor." The Legate's red eyes flashed as they moved from the display in front of him to the eyes of ruler of the Uzumaki Empire that sat before him. "My only issue with such a fleet would be how swiftly it could be created and the quality of the quantity of ships needed to move your grand force in any invasion."
"The merits of such a thing cannot be overstated." From his seat next to Naruto on the right the Centurion of the Tenth Cohort spoke. He was one of the centurions farthest from the Legate in terms of where he sat and tied for second to Praetor with the Centurion of the First Cohort. "Building a truly great fleet will take time and much material but with the wealth taken from Gato, it is not unthinkable. It is unlikely the people of Nami no Kuni will deny those they have deemed to be their protectors a magnificent fleet either."
"Indeed." The Centurion of the Seventh Cohort spoke and blue eyes turned to the Legate he did not sit far from, only the Centurion of the Sixth and Centurion of the Fifth separating the two. "A fleet will take years to build and with it can come the assurance of quality befitting the Uzumaki Empire."
"If I am so opposed than I see no reason to discuss the certainty of a fleet for Praetor's glorious Legion any further." Sasuke looked toward each of the centurions that had spoken out, his Sharingan drifting from one to the other, before settling on the eyes of the Centurion of the Third Cohort. "With all that has been spoken I see no reason to let this one point be ignored by any who speak on it. Do not feel insulted when I ask this Centurion Uzumaki but it is something I must know as Legate of the glorious Orange Legion of Praetor's Uzumaki Empire. How capable the soldiers of the Third Cohort shall be when the fleet you have proposed is at last ready to set sail?"
"They shall be some of the finest in the land. I already have a century beginning their training on smaller trade vessels. I will advance them when they do not fall to the greatest trials of the sea." The Centurion of the Third Cohort turned to Naruto once he had finished speaking to the Legate. "Praetor," He bowed his head and saluted Naruto. ", that is all I have to report."
"This meeting has already been enlightening." Naruto grinned as his eyes moved over his centurions once more. "The artifact I have sought after has at last been given to me and now I hear words of a great fleet being built for my army to sail upon the greatest and fiercest of waves onboard. No conquest has yet proven unobtainable and it seems soon my Uzumaki Empire will stretch from sea to sea." The blonde leaned back in his chair. "Let us continue this meeting and see what else I shall learn of what future glory awaits me."
"One thing to note is the work of Tenten, Praetor." The Centurion of the First Cohort pressed his finger to a mark on the table and a scroll appeared before all of its occupants. "She is quite skilled to do what she has done to our equipment." The scrolls were unrolled by all present. "She is eager to see our weapons and improve them."
"I have heard of it." Naruto sat the scroll down after his eyes had taken in its content. "Her excitement is admirable but she will not gain any more knowledge of my Legion than what is necessary. We already have the plans from the old fool from Nami no Kuni to develop into the great weapons they will be. She may examine the blueprints later but she will not be given anything more than is necessary."
"It is not outlandish to believe she should gain some rank within the Legion if her exuberance does not fade given time." The Centurion of the Fifth Cohort closely examined the scroll before him. "Her knowledge of weapons is not something to be understated by many of us. The benefits she would bring to your glorious Legion and magnificent Empire should not be ignored, Praetor."
"I do not wish to debate this with you, my centurions." Naruto slid the scroll away from him and instead glanced towards the Legate of his Legion. "Legate Sasuke, what do you have to say of such a thing, allowing a girl like Tenten to enter the ranks of my Legion?"
"I know nothing of this girl, Praetor and can only defer to your judgement." Sasuke did not move the scroll away. "Her designs are great and the wide array of new tactics implementing some of them cannot be understated. The soldiers of your Legion will be quick to adapt to any new technologies of warfare and the adjustment period, if any, shall be brief. The weapons you have the First Cohort constructing are things that will take time without one well versed in their uses. If she does come to join the ranks of your Legion, she would provide a great degree of insight and knowledge on the weapons you intend to aid your magnificent Legion in your many conquests."
"Your opinion is clear Legate." The Centurion of the Second Cohort turned his eyes away from the Uchiha and towards the leader of the Orange Legion and the Uzumaki Empire. "What is your verdict on such a thing, Praetor?"
"It is pointless to debate this all now." Naruto looked at all the eyes focused on him. "I have not yet met the girl you all seem so intent to focus on. Schedule a meeting between the Legate and myself and her. It can be here or it can be somewhere in the village." He turned to look at the Praefectus Castrorum of the Praetorians behind him. "See to it that the area is secured, no matter where we are to meet."
"There will be nothing your Praetorians shall not know of." The Praefectus Castrorum's answer received nothing but a nod from the Uzumaki.
"Good." Naruto turned his focus back to the Cohort Centurions and Legate in front of him and grinned. "What other business is there to discuss?"
"Much." The Legate channeled Chakra to a seal on the table. "The training you commissioned across the Legion." Numerous scrolls appeared in front of each of the leaders of the Orange Legion. "I have had the reports compiled and summarized for this meeting."
"Interesting." It was all Naruto spoke as he looked over the information the scroll contained. "Very interesting."
It would be written down in the records of that meeting that the smile of Naruto Uzumaki did not dim that day.
AN: One left.